Chapter 78: Young Master Xi's Confession

When Aunt Rong heard this, her face immediately darkened. “Second Young Master, even if you’re known for your romantic escapades, you can’t lay your hands on the young lady! How will the eldest young master ever forgive you for that?”

The young lady is meant for our eldest young master!

Nangong Lü wanted to cry but had no tears. “I really didn’t…”

But Aunt Rong’s expression made it clear she didn’t believe him.

“Pfft!” Xianyu Qing couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Nangong Lü hurriedly looked to her for help. “Qingqing, I was just trying to say hello, I didn’t do anything inappropriate. You have to vouch for me!”

Aunt Rong shot Nangong Lü a sidelong glance and then advised Xianyu Qing, “Miss, you’re always so kind with others, but sometimes you can’t be too accommodating. Otherwise, people will keep pushing their luck!”

“I understand,” Xianyu Qing replied, nodding obediently.

She then turned to Nangong Lü. “Second Young Master, I’ll forgive you this time, but I hope you’ll be more careful in the future.”

“Otherwise…” Hua Xiaocui made a show of kicking again.

Nangong Lü was speechless.

Am I still the Nangong family’s second young master or not? Why is everyone bullying me like this!

Despite the commotion at the start, Aunt Rong didn’t throw Nangong Lü out. She still prepared a meal for him.

Throughout the meal, Nangong Lü gazed at Xianyu Qing with a look of grievance.

Xianyu Qing secretly laughed to herself: That’s what you get for abandoning me at the charity ball last time! If I give you a hard time now, maybe you’ll think twice before dragging me into your plans again.

Sure enough, Nangong Lü, after lingering for quite some time, didn’t dare mention wanting Xianyu Qing to accompany him to his friends’ gathering.

From that day on, he remembered a “nemesis”—that annoying girl called Hua Xiaocui. One day, he swore, he’d make her kneel in front of him and apologize!

After Nangong Lü left, Aunt Rong still scolded Hua Xiaocui—not for hitting the second young master, but for calling him a scoundrel.

Hua Xiaocui understood: from now on, she could use her fists on the second young master, but not her words!

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Later that evening, Xi Junle also arrived.

A week’s absence had left him looking a little thinner. Xianyu Qing guessed it was likely due to the bone marrow transplant for Xiaoyu.

“Thank you for helping me deliver the gift to Xiaoyu last time,” Xi Junle came to express his gratitude.

Xianyu Qing wasn’t concerned about this. She asked, “Has Xiaoyu had the operation yet?”

“No…” Xi Junle’s eyes dimmed.

Xianyu Qing probed, “Is it because her sister was unwilling?”

“You know about that?” Xi Junle was surprised, and somewhat moved.

He’d only asked Xianyu Qing to deliver a gift, yet she had spent Xiaoyu’s birthday with her, taken photos, and even cared about her illness.

Unable to contain himself, Xi Junle confided, “I really don’t want Xiaoyu to be disappointed. But… but I’m truly powerless!”

He was distressed and guilt-ridden—distressed that he couldn’t save Xiaoyu, and guilty because he’d promised her she’d get better, only to break his word.

Xianyu Qing knew that no one could truly comfort him, so she could only offer, “You’ve done your best.”

People say that where there’s a will, there’s a way. But in this world, some things don’t turn out well no matter how hard you try. All you can do is have a clear conscience.

That was all the comfort Xi Junle sought. He knew some things couldn’t be changed and only hoped for someone to be by his side through it.

“Would you come with me to see Xiaoyu again? She’s been feeling very low these past days.” His tone was full of hope.

Xianyu Qing had promised Nangong Xin she wouldn’t see him anymore; but now, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

She was worried about Xiaoyu too.

In the end, she went to the hospital with Xi Junle. However, she didn’t ride in his car; Jiang Mohe drove them instead.

When they arrived, Xiaoyu had just been rushed into the emergency room due to respiratory bleeding from complications.

Xiaoyu’s mother was waiting outside the emergency room. At the sight of Xi Junle and Xianyu Qing, tears welled up uncontrollably.

“I told myself to be prepared, but I just can’t let go of Xiaoyu! Why does Heaven have to take my little girl? She’s still so young…”

Her sobs left her unable to speak. Xi Junle’s eyes reddened as well.

A nurse came to lead Xiaoyu’s mother away, and Xi Junle punched the wall in anguish. “It’s all my fault! All my fault…”

Startled, Xianyu Qing quickly grabbed his hand. Blood was already seeping from his knuckles. She hurriedly called a nurse to stop the bleeding.

“How could you hurt your hand like that?” Xianyu Qing couldn’t help but scold him.

He was a musician—what would he do if he injured his hands and couldn’t play the piano or violin again?

Xi Junle remained silent.

The nurse applied medicine and bandaged him, then advised, “If you two have issues, talk them out. Don’t take it out on yourselves!”

Xianyu Qing was at a loss for words.

Because Xi Junle wore a mask and a hat, the nurse didn’t recognize him and assumed it was a lovers’ quarrel. Shaking her head, she walked away.

The accomplished Xi Junle, so dazzling on stage, now sat slumped on a chair, staring blankly at his injured hand.

After a moment, he said, “If it weren’t for Xiaoyu’s uncle, I wouldn’t even be alive, let alone worrying about this hand.”

Fang Xiaoyu’s mother was the elder sister of the boy who had once saved Xi Junle.

At first, Xi Junle had only paid attention to Xiaoyu’s illness because she was a particularly devoted fan. Later, seeing her photo and noticing her resemblance to the boy, he’d looked into her identity.

He thought fate was giving him a chance to repay a debt of gratitude. He never imagined he’d be unable to do even that.

Xianyu Qing didn’t know this part of his past, but hearing him speak, she could guess why he was so determined to save Xiaoyu.

“I think, if Xiaoyu’s uncle were still alive, he wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Xi Junle suddenly looked up, dazed by the clarity in Xianyu Qing’s eyes—the same clarity he’d seen in that little boy’s eyes. “If I can’t save Xiaoyu, will you forgive me?”

Xianyu Qing didn’t understand, but she replied, “You’re not a doctor, nor the donor. It’s not your fault if you can’t save her.”

In truth, even the doctors or the donor couldn’t guarantee saving Xiaoyu.

Her words comforted Xi Junle somewhat.

Yes, he had given everything he had.

He had pleaded for days with the donor’s sister, but she refused to see him. Her brother had died in a car accident on his way to donate bone marrow. No matter what he offered, she wouldn’t agree, causing Xiaoyu to miss the best window for surgery.

But who, in all this, was truly at fault?

The donor had been willing to save Xiaoyu; his sister, devastated by her brother’s sudden death, refused out of grief; Xi Junle had done all he could.

So why keep blaming himself?

“Thank you, Qingqing. I’m truly grateful I met you.”

There was a shining light in Xi Junle’s eyes—one Xianyu Qing couldn’t quite read. “I was only speaking my mind,” she replied.